A frost-forged weapon is a blade (almost always a fencing weapon, though daggers and heavier weapons such a longswords are not unheard of) which is crafted from an alloy of silver, copper, and iron, with other reagents added to the raw metal to lend it strength and stability. The combination of materials used in the manufacture of these weapons gives the metal a shimmering red hue, a strength that belies the use of copper in its manufacture, and a shockingly low surface temperature. (The high thermal conductivity of silver and copper, aided by the chemical reagents used in the weapons’ manufacture, rapidly draws heat from one’s skin.)

A frost-forged weapon leeches heat from any flesh it touches; even the wielder of such a weapon will rapidly feel his fingers going numb, even if leather gloves or a metal gauntlet is worn (Dracheneisen will protect against this, however). Whenever the wielder of a frost-forged blade makes an attack (including the use of Swordsman Knacks) or Active Defense with his weapon, he suffers four Flesh Wounds. These Flesh Wounds do not trigger a Wound Check. In exchange, every Raise for extra damage the wielder takes on his Attack Rolls increases the value of the target’s lowest Action Die (assuming the target has one left in the Round) by one. If this increases the value of the Action Die beyond ten, the Action Die is discarded without effect. For example, if a Swordsman armed with a frost-forged weapon successfully attacks an opponent with three Raises for extra damage, in addition to adding three Unkept Dice (+3k0) to his Damage Roll, he increases the value of the opponent’s lowest Action Die by three.

Unlike venom-forged weapons, the use of frost-forged weapons is not considered particularly ignoble; if the wielder is willing to endure the pain of using such a weapon, he deserves the muscle-numbing benefit of striking with the blade.

New Advantage: Frost-Forged Weapon (5 or 7 Points)
You have purchased or been given a rare frost-forged weapon. Unless you are wearing a Dracheneisen gauntlet or Panzerhand on the hand wielding such a weapon, every time you make an attack (including the use of a Swordsman Knack) or Active Defense using it, you sustain four Flesh Wounds, which do not trigger a Wound Check. In exchange, every Raise you take for extra damage also increases the value of the opponent’s lowest Action Die by one if the attack is successful. If this increases the value beyond ten, the Action Die is discarded without effect. Frost-forged fencing weapons cost five Points; knives or heavy weapons cost seven Points.

To obtain a frost-forged weapon after character creation, one must find an appropriately-skilled blacksmith and persuade him to create such a weapon. The blacksmith will typically charge 2,500 G for a knife, 3,000 G for a fencing weapon, or 4,000 G for a heavy weapon such as a longsword or axe.

Special thanks to Dr. Danny Schaeffler for his assistance with this entry.